


Sooner or Later

by imthehotgirl



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-08-05 19:38:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16373786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imthehotgirl/pseuds/imthehotgirl
Summary: Buck misses Abby and isn't sure if he'll ever be able to move on. But when Eddie needs his help and with a conversation with Maddie Buck realizes that he can be happy again.





	Sooner or Later

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shaneo6930](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shaneo6930/gifts).



> This is for my best friend Shane who's been under the weather recently. Shane, babe, I hope you enjoy our boys! This has also been extremely therapeutic for me, so yay for that.
> 
> Feel free to comment and/or kudos! Enjoy!

When Maddie left Abby’s apartment Buck had convinced himself he could make it work without his sister there. That he was fine. That he wasn’t haunted by the memories of his time with Abby everywhere he looked, everywhere he went.

But the truth of the matter was he missed his girl with every breath he took, and he wasn’t sure where the hell he was supposed to put all his hurt, anger and loneliness. What he’d told Bobby a few weeks back still rang true. When the hell did he get to be happy?

*** 

As the weeks slowly drug on Buck managed to keep going, keep focused on any one of the jobs he (and more often than not Eddie as his partner) had in front of him.

One late afternoon after his shift Buck unintentionally found himself eavesdropping on a phone conversation Eddie was having with Carla, his young son Christopher’s caretaker.

“You sure you can handle things until I get there, Carla?” Eddie demanded softly into the phone, the worry he was apparently feeling etched all over his features. “All right. Tell Christopher I’ll see him soon,” he continued before finally hanging up the phone.

“Hey, Eddie, everything all right?” Buck murmured, gently putting a hand on the other man’s shoulder until Eddie lifted his head, meeting Buck’s gaze.

Eddie gave Buck a placating smile. “It’s fine, Buck. Nothing you should worry yourself over. Go home. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he insisted.

Buck swallowed hard at Eddie’s words, catching a brief glimpse of fear flood the other man’s eyes before Eddie managed to school his expression. 

“Things are fine, huh? Well then you won’t mind if I come over for a bit then, right?” Buck finally insisted, giving Eddie a pointed look.

Eddie sighed heavily, shaking his head slightly as a more genuine if tired smile graced his lips. “You’re certainly persistent, huh? The truth is I’ve got a sick kid at home, Buck. And I really don’t want to subject you to that. I’m in for a long night here.”

Buck chuckled softly. “Okay, well, I’m coming over anyway, Eddie. I could make Christopher the chicken noodle soup my mom always used to swear by whenever Maddie and I were sick. Sound good?”

“Yeah. That-that sounds great. Thank you,” Eddie replied.

Buck nodded in acknowledgement of the other man’s gratitude as they headed to their respective vehicles and he sighed in relief knowing he could put off heading for Abby’s a little longer that night.

***

Later that night Buck sat in the Diazs’ living room waiting on Eddie to finish putting Christopher to bed. In an attempt to distract himself from his own thoughts Buck had been texting with Maddie. The conversation (if one could call it that) devolved rather quickly.

MADDIE: Is Christopher gonna be okay?

BUCK: Yeah, poor kid just needs a good night’s sleep. I made him Mom’s chicken noodle soup. :o)

MADDIE: Aww! Look at you coming to your boy’s rescue!

BUCK: What?

MADDIE: You know… Eddie? Please tell me you’ve kissed him?

BUCK: What?! Maddie, no! It’s not like that! Eddie’s a good friend. And…and…

MADDIE: And what? You and I both know you’re into him. ;o)

BUCK: No, I’m not! Geeze, Maddie…

MADDIE: Don’t you ‘Geeze, Maddie’ me, Evan Buckley! I’m just being a good sister and looking out for you. Anyone with eyes can tell you have feelings for the guy. Have you talked with Hen or Chim about any of this? Because honestly, I don’t think your crush is as one-sided as you’d like to think, okay? That’s all I’m trying to get at, Buck. 

BUCK: Just stay out of this, all right, Mads?

MADDIE: Oh, come on, Buck. You know I’m right. :o) 

BUCK: Whatever. I can’t do this right now…

MADDIE: Okay. But I want details in the morning. ;o)

Buck rolled his eyes in annoyance as he shut off his phone.

“Everything okay?” Eddie asked, startling Buck from his thoughts as he entered the room.

“Oh. Oh, yeah. I’m fine. My sister is just very opinionated about my love life,” Buck admitted, running a hand over the back of his head, giving Eddie a half-hearted smile. “But the thing is I don’t… I don’t really have one anymore. Not since Abby…” he muttered, swallowing convulsively as he stared at his clasped hands. He barely glanced upward when he felt Eddie sit down next to him on the couch.

“It sucks, huh? Trying to be the version of yourself you used to be before your entire world seemed to implode,” Eddie said.

“Yeah. How-how did you know that’s what I’ve been trying to do?” Buck whispered hoarsely, his heart seeming to pound in his ears at Eddie’s admission.

Eddie shrugged. “Lucky guess. It’s what I did when Christopher’s mom up and left. It took me awhile, but I eventually realized that I had to be the best version of myself not only for Christopher but for me too. And the only way I could do that was to keep moving forward. And that’s how I came to work with you, Hen, Chim and Bobby.”

Buck smiled softly. “It doesn’t feel like it some days, but I guess… I guess I’ve been moving forward more than I realized. Making changes. I think Maddie moving out of Abby’s place was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. I really need to get my own place, ya know? Especially since Maddie has been right on just about everything. And I was kind of freaking out about having my whole life change. But it wouldn’t be my whole life, not really. Just the important parts of it. I deserve happiness too, right?”

“From what Bobby, Chim and Hen have told me about you, Buck, you’re still the same person you’ve always been since before Abby came into your life. You’re probably a little more grown-up thanks to her influence. And maybe a bit more melancholy and closed off in some regards than you’d usually be considering how things have gone between you two. But you’re right, you deserve to be happy. And as long as you keep being the best version of yourself and are open to change you’ll get there. Anything’s possible. I mean, look at what you did for me and Christopher tonight. I really appreciate it. And thank you doesn’t seem like enough,” Eddie said.

“It’s enough. More than. It’s just… Dammit, I think I’m freaking out again about the important parts of my life changing,” Buck freely admitted, flashing Eddie a forced smile.

“Yeah? How do you mean?” Eddie asked, letting loose a brief chuckle, his eyes dancing with mirth.

Buck sighed heavily, his eyes closing for a moment before he cleared his throat and started talking. “I don’t know. It’s just… Maddie seems to think I have feelings for you. And that maybe they’re not exactly unrequited,” he mumbled, finally daring to look at the other man again who remained silent at his revelation. “Okay, great. Now that I’ve completely blown your mind for the night I should-I should really…go,” he continued, practically jumping to his feet and heading in the direction of the Diaz’s backdoor.

“Evan,” Eddie implored, his voice hoarse yet flooded in emotion with that single word.

Buck drew up short at the sound of his name, the hair on the back of his neck seeming to stand at attention while heat coursed through him as Eddie’s voice reached his ears. He knew without a single doubt in his mind that he wanted Eddie to say his name like that for the rest of his natural born life.  
Finally turning around to face the other man, Buck was surprised to see Eddie standing as well. “Yeah?” he rasped. He couldn’t quite believe this was happening.

“Your sister’s right. I’m crazy about you. Come here,” Eddie said softly.

Buck didn’t need anymore encouragement than that and within a few strides he stood in front of Eddie, his hands cupping the other man’s face.

“Christopher’s gonna be okay, right?” he murmured, unable to prevent the slight worry that still lingered in his mind over the kid’s health.

Eddie’s gaze softened further at the question. “Yeah, Buck, he will be. Just like you, huh?” he asked as Buck leaned forward, the kissing a bit unhurried and lazy yet filled with promises of what was to come.

“Definitely,” Buck replied in agreement when they broke apart, his forehead resting against Eddie’s, his thumb running in soothing circles against the other man’s throat as he mentally prepared himself for his departure.

“If you want maybe Christopher and I can help you find an apartment?” Eddie suggested.

Buck grinned at the suggestion. “Great idea. I’m sure I’ll need the ego boost once I tell Maddie she was right. About everything. As usual,” he said, his expression souring somewhat at the thought.

Eddie laughed. “We’ll be here,” he said reassuringly.

“I know you will,” Buck replied, silently choosing in that moment to put his faith in this new dream of his and willingly deciding to see where it led him. 

Yes, there was a part of him that would be scared and continue to be scared for awhile being so vulnerable again. But Buck knew Eddie and Christopher were worth it. And that sooner or later the fear would dissipate entirely and all that would be left was what Eddie and Christopher already saw within him. The man he not only wanted to be for them but also himself that he knew would come with more patience, experience and time.

And Buck also knew that if he and Abby were to ever see each other again that he would have to thank her for everything she’d given him and shown him and everything they’d done with one another. Because he now knew unequivocally that if he had not had his experiences with Abby he doubted if he would have been as ready for whatever it was he and Eddie were about to embark on with one another. He just hoped ‘thank you’ would be enough.

THE END


End file.
